Closing the Distance
by If Wishes Were Blue Skies
Summary: Set directly after the second movie, Po and Shifu have a rather clarifying heart-to-heart. .:.Po/Shifu fluffy slash.:.


OKAY, SO. Wow, I really can't believe I wrote this. It was on a complete whim. I didn't even expect to finish it, BUT, here it is! I've always had a soft spot for the Po/Shifu pairing, ever since the first movie came out, and with how much I love the new one, I just had the hugest urge to write something for them. It's really weird though, the new movie honestly made me love Po/Tigress so much, and they're really my main ship of the movies now, but Po/Shifu is way more in my comfort zone LOL. So, yeah. Anyway, I hope you guys like this, and please let me know what you think!

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><p>Po found him in the first place he looked. Sitting beneath the sacred peach tree, his small legs crossed, and as still as the night around him. He didn't say anything at first, but instead walked over to where his master was, and sat on the ground next to him.<p>

"Po," Shifu greeted.

"Hey."

Po swung his feet over the ledge, not at all intimidated by the long fall beneath him. They sat in silence for a few minutes, but all the while a question burned the panda's tongue. Normally he would've spat it out right away, but there were.. things keeping him from doing so. Some contributing factors that kept Po from being his usual, antsy self at the moment.

Around the six minute mark however, he figured he'd stayed quiet for long enough. "So uh.. why weren't you at the dinner tonight?"

He and the Five had returned earlier that morning, and in celebration Mr. Ping cooked up a feast. The whole village showed, including the Five. The only one who hadn't been in attendance was the little red panda sitting next to him now.

For a while, Shifu didn't answer. Po considered for a moment leaving it alone, but.. he really wanted to know. He normally dismissed Shifu's desire for solitude, so for once he felt like he needed to assert himself. Shifu.. well, he meant a lot to Po. More than he knew was right. He just wanted his master to be happy. Sure, he'd conquered his guilt over what had happend with Tai Lung and had achieved inner peace, but it would make Po happier to see him spend time with others more often. Let in the love, you know?

Finally Shifu spoke. "I was.. not in the mood."

Po looked at him, surprised. "That's it? No mystical statement about how the balance of the universe was slightly off, or that the winds weren't making the trees sway in the right direction? Just.. you weren't in the mood?"

He thought he caught the slightest hint of amusement on Shifu's face. "I simply did not care to be around so many people. The events in Gongmen City shook me more than I care to admit, and I'm still not.. well, ready to celebrate quite yet."

Again, Po was a little caught off guard. "Really? What.. I mean I know it was all pretty serious back there, but it bothered you that much?"

Shifu stood up. Walked over to the tree and caught a falling petal in his hand. "To be honest with you Po, I find myself feeling guilty for having sent you on that mission."

Po blinked, his eyes wide. "What?"

"I did not attend the celebration dinner tonight because I.." he faltered, focusing his gaze on the petal held between his fingers. "Because I could not bear to look your father in the eye and accept his generosity. All I could think about is what if you hadn't made it back home. In all my years, all of the strenuous training, broken bones, blood and sweat, I've never had to tell a man that his child was.."

He didn't finish. Po gawked at him, struck silent. It wasn't like his master to be so concerned over something. Sure, that something was, well, his life, but.. "But it wouldn't have been your fault. I'm the Dragon Warrior, it was my job to defeat Shen. I guess it was my destiny too, this goat lady kept telling me that it was, and _you_ know how well things turn out when destiny's involv-"

"I thought you were dead!" Shifu exclaimed suddenly, wheeling around to stare at the panda. "I _felt_ it, I.. couldn't even move, I thought.." His voice broke and he fell against the tree. His gaze rose to the full moon floating above them, his expression unlike any Po had ever witnessed.

"How did you.. you felt it?" Po stammered out.

"How do you think I knew to come there when I did?" Shifu shot at him. "You were either dead, or terribly close to, and I ran. I ran and didn't stop until I arrived. I needed to know, needed to help you if it wasn't too late."

A pause. Then Shifu looked at his student, his eyes full of something Po couldn't identify.

"I was so frightened."

A small, sad smile appeared on his face as he said this, as if it were amusing that he would confess such a thing.

Po could do nothing but stare. A thousand reassuring words ran through his mind, but nothing seemed right. Instead, he reached out. Touched Shifu's hand. The gesture was impulsive, done before Po could think better of it. They both flinched slightly at the contact, but neither moved away. Slowly, Shifu wound his tiny fingers around one of Po's. His eyes looked nervous and unsure, but his hold on Po's finger was everything but.

"I'm not goin' anywhere," he told him. "There's too many people that mean a lot to me. My dad, the Five.. you."

Tentatively, Po brushed his thumb atop Shifu's hand before letting it rest there. "Especially you."

By the look on Shifu's face, Po assumed his confession had gotten through to him. Or at least, he hoped it did. The grip on his finger became tighter, and Shifu took a few steps closer, closing the distance between them in more ways than one. With Po sitting they were almost at eye level with each other.

"You're such a fool," Shifu said, his tone reprimanding.

Po smiled. "Yeah, I know, but I've come to accept that. And somethin' tells me that you have too."

Shifu looked at him, his gaze a little unsteady. He inched closer. "I.. have. Which would, in all sense, make me just as much of one."

"Well maybe that's not such a bad thing," Po said, shrugging.

Shifu allowed a small chuckle. "Perhaps not. Po, I.. I suppose I should.. tell you that I l.." he hesitated, bit his lip. Po waited, his heart pounding. "I lo.. care about you. A lot. More than I should. I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to sa-"

He didn't finish. Po pulled Shifu forward by his hand and enveloped him in a hug. It was awkward for only a few seconds before Shifu relaxed, fitting almost perfectly against his chest. His hands rose up to return the gesture as best as he could, watching as his fingers all but disappeared in the soft, black fur.

"I luh-care about you too," Po said quietly. He could feel Shifu's smile against his shoulder.

_'Peace'_, Shifu thought._ 'This is peace.'_


End file.
